Aia dei Colombi Falanghina

Aia dei Colombi Falanghina

The estate is nestled in the hills of Campania, the hinterland east of Naples. Sannio is the name both of the area around Benevento and of the local DOC, taking its name from the Samnites, the original inhabitants. Fierce resisters of Roman hegemony, they were also accomplished winemakers. After the Roman conquest, wines such as Falernium, the original Falanghina, became legends of the republic and the empire. Today the area is seeing a renaissance in quality, with vibrant small wineries like Aia dei Colombi leapfrogging to the vanguard.

Comprised of some 10 hectares (8 under vine, 2 planted to olives) the estate straddles 2 communes northwest of Benevento, Guardia Sanframondi and Castelvenere. This is a new enterprise, founded in 2002, the first vintage being 2003. But the brothers Marcello and Gaetano Pascale are drawing on the traditions and practices followed by their father Michele, one of the founding members of the local co-operative. His quest for quality inspired them to start their own domain. Their efforts were rewarded with a Gold Medal for the Vigna Suprema 2004 from the Torgiano Wine Competition. (This is a national competition with a jury of Italian enologists and both foreign and Italian journalists.) Marcello runs the winery side, Gaetano the vineyards, while Marcello’s wife Maria Pengue handles administration and sales. In addition to their own talent and enthusiasm they benefit from the advice of the noted enologist Angelo Pizzi, the father of modern Falanghina in the Sannio.

Their aim is to reflect nature and the traditions of their forefathers while employing innovation to make the best wine possible (an automated bottling machine and stainless-steel tanks rub shoulders with oak casks in the winery). Respect for the environment is a guiding principle. They focus primarily on Falanghina for white, and Aglianico for red, but also grow lesser amounts of other grapes, such as Fiano.